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By Kathianne Boniello
Undeterred by gray skies and a light drizzle, Douglaston resident John Ottulich was nothing but upbeat Friday afternoon in Bayside as he announced his bid to challenge state Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza (D-Bayside) for her seat in November.
A Republican, Ottulich will be Carrozza’s first challenger in six years. A Democrat who defeated longtime Republican Doug Prescott in 1996 for the state 26th Assembly District, Carrozza was unchallenged during the 2000 election.
Carrozza’s district includes the communities of Bayside, Little Neck, Douglaston, Auburndale, Bay Terrace, north Flushing, Beechhurst, Malba and Whitestone.
Ottulich, 46, has lived in the district for more than 20 years, the last 12 of those in Douglaston with his wife and daughter. A businessman who works in the construction scaffolding industry, Ottulich said he has been interested in politics since his teen years. But he was not always a Republican.
“I began to realize there wasn’t another voice,” he said of the overwhelmingly Democratic nature of Queens politics. “In business, when you have two strong parties there is more competition and you start getting the best and the brightest. We have to have a strong Republican Party in this city to at least give people an option.”
Ottulich announced his candidacy on Bell Boulevard in Bayside, near the Long Island Rail Road station, surrounded by a group of loyal supporters. Those supporters included northeast Queens’ stalwart Republicans, state Sen, Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and former City Councilman Mike Abel (R-Bayside).
Padavan praised Ottulich as a strong candidate who was ready for the job.
“He’d do a great job for the people of Queens,” Padavan said.
Abel said: “I think John is absolutely the right candidate at the right time.”
An Astoria native of Italian-Croatian descent, Ottulich became a Republican about 10 years ago, he said. Inspired by a desire to help the city maintain its quality of life in the face of tougher economic times since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ottulich said its time for politicians to be tough on “pocketbook issues.”
“Everything flows from there,” he said of economic issues. “You have to make sure you maintain the ability of people to live here.”
Ottulich has been involved in a number of community groups over the years, including the Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Queens Museum of Art, the Douglaston Civic Association and the Bayside Historical Society.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
